1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to probiotic foods and the manufacture of dairy products, and particularly to probiotic dairy products with a date syrup additive and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Probiotics are live microorganisms thought to be beneficial to the host organism. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and bifidobacteria are the most common types of microbes used as probiotics; but certain yeasts and bacilli may also be used. Probiotics are commonly consumed as part of fermented foods (such as in yogurt and soy yogurt) with specially added active live cultures, or as dietary supplements. Probiotics are often used to treat or supplement treatments for diarrhea, gastroenteritis, lactose intolerance, colon cancer, high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, inflammation, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcers and other conditions.
Probiotic yogurt, for example, is a dairy product, and has a very limited storage life. Additionally, maintaining an adequate concentration of bifidobacteria bacteria in the cultured yogurt throughout its stored lifetime is often quite difficult. Similarly, LAB is also difficult to maintain throughout the stored lifetime of the yogurt. It would be desirable to provide an additive to such probiotic dairy products that increases the average storage lifetime of the product, as well as maintaining or increasing the desired probiotic bacterial cultures.
Thus, probiotic dairy products with a date syrup additive solving the aforementioned problems is desired.